I recall listening to a lecture by Rothbard on the War for Southern Independence (on youtube) in which he mentions the role of religion in leading up to the war. Specifically, he mentioned the influence of radical Yankee (he notes that this was an ethno-cultural group) Protestants in the northern States who believed that sin must wiped out from the face of the earth in order for Christ to return. This was their motive in trying to abolish slavery. Of course, they believed that using force (i.e. the state) would be the most expedient means to achieving their end. According to Rothbard, this group believed that salvation could be achieved only by abolishing sin and working for the “salvation” of others. This was in contrast to the Catholics, who tended to be more libertarian, as they believed salvation could be achieved through life in the Church – not by forcing morality on others via the state.
I was wondering if I could get some commentary from the professors here at LC. Was Rothbard correct in saying that theology played a notable role in leading up to the war? Are there any resources that I could seek out to learn more about this topic?
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